Massachusetts voters will weigh ballot measures on gambling, charter schools, treatment of farm animals, and legalizing marijuana when they go to the voting booths on Nov. 8. For those looking for additional insight into the topics, educational and media organizations will host forums and panels in Dorchester through October that are open to the public.

The four statewide ballot questions are simple yes/no votes.

Question 1 proposes granting the Massachusetts Gaming Commission permission to issue an additional slots license, while current law allows three resort casinos and one slots parlor.

Question 2 would allow the authorization of up to 12 new charter schools or enrollment expansions in existing charter schools by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education per year.

Question 3 prohibits the sale of eggs, veal, or pork of a farm animal confined in spaces that prevent the animal from lying down, standing up, extending its limbs, or turning around.

Question 4 would to allow the use, cultivation, possession and distribution of recreational marijuana for individuals at least 21 years old, while a no vote would limit legalization only to medical marijuana.

Beginning Sept. 13 and taking place each Tuesday for four weeks, UMass Boston's McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, WBUR radio, and The Boston Globe will host a series of live weekly debates on each of the four statewide ballot questions. The debates, hosted by WBUR’s Meghna Chakrabarti, will take place between 3 - 4 p.m. before live audiences at the McCormack Theatre on the Umass Boston campus and also broadcast live on WBUR radio and live-streamed by the sponsors at bostonglobe.com, wbur.org, and umb.edu.

The debate schedule is: Sept. 13 - Question 2; Sept. 20 - Question 3; Sept. 27 - Question 1; Oct. 4 - Question 4.

Additional in-depth looks at the marijuana and charter school questions will be the subjects of two forums at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate, hosted by WGBH’s Jim Braude.

On Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m., experts at the EMK Institute will ask “would legalizing recreational marijuana affect Massachusetts for better or for worse?” On Thursday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m., they will assess potential impacts of raising the charter school cap.

All forums and debates will be free and open to the public, with registration required.